The Innocence Lost
by Shalyn H
Summary: Lain, Yuki & Eri are three girls with special abilities who only have each other. Now, they have become pawns in the war between Schwarz and Weiß. Where will they end up? Their choices could destroy their friendships...or worse. Undergoing revision!
1. The Untamed Beasts

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A fifteen-year-old Prodigy sat before a laptop in a dark, bare-walled apartment bedroom. The laptop sat on a white folding table; one of two pieces of furniture that adorned the room. The second was a cheap black task chair where the boy sat, the light from the monitor glinting faintly off of the lenses of his glasses and cobalt eyes, the mouse clicking rhythmically as he scrolled through page after page of government-classified citizen profiles. He'd been at it for hours and his eyes had long since dried in their sockets so that when he blinked his lids felt like sandpaper scraping over them. For the hundredth time he paused his search to remove his glasses and rub the bridge of his nose, grimacing as he squinted his almond-shaped eyes shut in a futile effort to hydrate them. Studying for the looming approach of mid-terms was the least of his worries.

The sun had long since sunk below the horizon and into the sea, and as Nagi Naoe reached out and parted the blinds protecting the privacy of his research, he was sure he could see a thin line of sun peeking up over the horizon again. Morning was approaching, which meant more work and more of the mud-like bitter coffee that Brad must have learned to brew from someone in the Japanese military. The cherry trees lining the street outside the high-rise apartment building trembled and shook off several of their blossoms as a frigid breeze drifted by, dancing in the open window and between the blinds, causing the thin teenage boy to shiver. The air smelled of rain and possibly even snow. Winter was coming.

From somewhere in the apartment behind him, a faintly accented voice boomed over the sound of the television.

"Naoe! Shut the god damn window! All that cold air is creeping into our area!"

The Mastermind grumbled in German, rubbing his arms and grinding his slender jaw.

"It's keeping me awake, _Schuldig_," Nagi called back irritably.

Another little gust blew in defiantly, and Schuldig rose up from his seat on the beat-up black couch in the makeshift living room, walking across the stained burgundy carpet to the window. With a strong tug, the window fell closed with a sharp snap that nearly shattered the glass. Nagi didn't even look over.

"God damn ungrateful brat," Schuldig growled, and then "H-hey! Cut it out!" Schuldig flailed his arms helplessly as he soared through the air and back to his seat on the couch, promptly dropping into it in almost the exact same spot he had sat before. Nagi couldn't help but grin in spite of himself. He would have taken annoying Schuldig with his telekinetic abilities over researching suspicious females on government files any day. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his neck as he listened to Shuldig string together curses in his native tongue. 

And then the American came and ruined his fun.

"Any luck so far?" asked Brad Crawford, his black hair glistening with expensive salon gel that had cost nearly as much as Nagi's entire school uniform, but came nowhere near the pretty penny that his cream-colored Armani suit or polished black dress shoes or Calvin Klein glasses were worth. Nagi shook his head, partly to clear away the overwhelming whiff of Old Spice he caught from the taller man. All that money, and he still used cheap cologne. Nagi thought amusedly, _it must be an American thing_.

"None, sir," Nagi said in his most grave, polite voice. "They're all just your average accident-prone women, every one of them. None of the investigations turned up any suspicious results. Can't they get us anything more than a few first names and descriptions?"

Brad seemed to space out for a moment, and he stared off into space quietly. Nagi had the good grace not to interrupt his thought process, because it usually meant the Oracle was searching for something.

"Have you checked the records on the people just moving here?" The American clairvoyant asked, his Japanese flawless and unaccented.

Nagi wondered how long Brad had practiced Japanese to get it that perfect. Most Japanese people didn't even speak the language as well as Brad did. He shook his head solemnly, looking a bit guiltily up at his superior. So much for being the Prodigy.

"Check them. They'd be more likely to have something. People who have powers like that and can't control them…there are bound to be accidents, and it is natural instinct to run away from the scene of accidents of a particularly inexplicable nature. We're looking for targets with a past full of holes."

Nagi nodded, thinking about his own 'accidents.' He navigated his way through the tangle of password-protected databases and encrypted server information to the records of citizens whose location data had been recently updated. When the results came in, he groaned. More hours of tedious work stretched on ahead of him.

A sudden roll of close-by thunder shook the windows. Nagi liked rain, but he definitely did not like thunderstorms. Something about the electricity in the air screwed with his telekinesis, and it caused strange anomalies. He jumped up and went to the window to close it, knocking the mouse off of the desk in the process with a careless gesture. He quickly slammed the window shut and flipped the latch-lock, fixing the bent blinds and walking back to his computer. He sat down in his task chair. By some miraculous coincidence, the fallen mouse had scrolled through a few dozen profiles and landed on the right one.

The name matched. The description matched. The haunted look behind her brown-black eyes and her stoic, unsmiling face matched. He felt a chill run through his bones that he knew he could not attribute to the weather. 

"Brad, I think I found one of them."

. . . . .

Her fingers felt around the smooth metal of her mechanical pencil thoughtfully. Her mind was still filled with images from the nightmare she'd had the night before. Wisps of images greeted her every wandering second. Even on the medication they weren't letting up and she was growing increasingly too terrified to sleep because of what she might face in her dreams. Every time it was the same. The blood, the man's sly smile, his eyes narrowed and those hands...so cold and strong, grabbing at her like she was the last lifeboat on a sinking ship. And her, too helpless to defend herself.

She gasped a quiet gulp of air and swallowed it thankfully, trying to calm her racing mind. Looking down at her blank sheet of paper, she mused over its innocence. It was the first sheet out of her notebook. The lines were perfectly straight, running to the edge of the paper daringly. The color was so vibrant; her pencil graphite had not yet even stained it with a single stroke. And yet, that's all it took, one slight movement, and then it too would be dirty…like her. Of course, she was more like a crumpled, faded wad of paper, the lines unsure of their path, the writing all blurred and jumbled. Like a fateful note that she kept in her pocket, folded and unfolded many times until the paper could repeat the motion by itself. It was too late for her.

But this sheet, there was still hope for it, just like there was still hope for her brother, Takume. She ran a few fingers over the paper, following the lines across.

"Kinji, would you _please_ get to work?" A bored, annoyed man's voice said. Lain looked up to see the teacher standing near her desk. "You've wasted almost half the class period again! Your paper is completely empty. You haven't even started on your essay and it's due Friday, may I remind you. Here in Tokyo, we don't except late work from those who aren't productive. If you want time to be lazy and daydream, go back to Osaka! If I catch you daydreaming again, it'll be detention and a cut from your assignment. Do I make myself clear?" The teacher's scolding voice went on and on.

Lain's brow furrowed in anger. It was the seventh time that week she had been scolded, and it was only her third day. He had not left her alone since the moment she had stepped foot in his class. There was always something that disturbed him about how she carried on. Whether it was her uniform or the way she wrote, it was always _something_. By now the girl who the class had so charmingly named 'Freak' was the center of attention.

"I can't hear you, Kinji. I said…do-I-make-myself-clear?" he spoke more sternly to her, as though he were punishing a very small child.

"...Yes, sir," she forced through her tightly clamped jaw. "Perfectly clear, sir."

Unbeknownst to Lain, a boy watched as the girl lowered her head, her chestnut-colored hair sliding over her face. Her fingers gripped her mechanical pencil tightly as she brought it to her paper and slowly wrote her name. Omi felt a little bad for her. Ever since she had arrived at his school from Osaka, she had been outcast. Mr. Inoue didn't favor anyone from Osaka, in part because it was the place he had met and lost his wife. Every moment he could he was on her case.

"Kinji!" Mr. Inoue barked. He looked up at her sharply from behind his desk.

Lain had stopped writing. She looked up at the teacher, her eyes flashing with unbridled hatred, and for one fleeting moment, his countenance wavered uncertainly. Then she continued writing like nothing ever happened. Omi watched the exchange curiously.

Suddenly, the class was filled with the sounds of snapping plastic, splintering wood and crumbling graphite. Every pencil had snapped in two. Omi looked down at his newly-purchased writing tool. It lay in two and was no longer functional. The class was filled with murmurings and confusion. He glanced over to the new student.

Her pencil wasn't broken, and she calmly continued to write.

Outside a man in a long double-breasted white coat with fiery orange-red hair leaned on a wall and smiled, his arms folded over his chest as he admired the scene from beneath the shade of a tree.

_Hearts so full of rage...this will be sweeter than honey._

. . . . .

"Lain!" A voice behind her called out.

She turned about, surprised that someone other than Mr. Inoue had called out her name. It was a boy from her class. What was his name? She knew that he was a model student, and girls seemed to love him on account of his reputation for being one of the pretty boys working at a local flower shop. He was hard-working and an exceptionally gifted student. He was every mother's dream for their daughter and every teacher's example for other students. He was everything Lain didn't need to deal with right then.

"I've been trying to call you for the past floor. Didn't you hear me?" He smiled genially and spoke again before she could reply. "It's alright. My name is Omi."

He shifted the weight of his books in his backpack to his left shoulder and offered her a polite little bow. Lain pushed past him with a wave.

"I know who you are. You sit a row across from me in English."

"Yeah," he replied, downtrodden, but undeterred. The smile was back. "I was wondering if you would like to join me for lunch."

She tried to leave, but he ran in front of her.

"Please?" he asked again.

They stood there a moment, caught between the third and second floor. Lain stepped left but was blocked as Omi stepped her way. She tried right, left again, and then right again, but every turn she took he was in her way.

"It's just lunch, I promise." 

He was an annoying little boy. She sighed.

"Please, I'd just like to get to know you," he said, and his blue eyes twinkled at her. He was wearing the same pouty look that her brother wore when he wanted something.

"I..." Lain began to give up. _He looks so sincere…_

"Omi-kun!" A loud voice interrupted. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" A girl latched onto his arm.

Omi watched as Lain's sudden calm and almost happy guise turned into a hurtful flinch, and then to complete and utter nothingness. Closing her lips into her usual sealed and tightened line, she shook her head once stiffly. Without another breath, she sped down the stairs as if a dog were on her heels. He was so close, and if it weren't for Hina's sudden appearance he would have had the chance to talk. Hina was chattering on as if Lain had never been there.

Omi swore he'd find another chance.

. . . . .

Lain could hear the echoes of conversation from above her head. Mentally, she kicked herself.

_You fool, you can never be like them...they'll never accept you. There's no one out there who can love you. Not after what you've done._

She slowly dragged her feet on the way to the library. It was the only place she was safe from their taunts, and the only place where she could lose herself among the sweet smell of old books and the crisp aroma of new ones. She could immerse herself in history and stories that were not her own.

She walked through a row of books, her fingers dancing lightly over each binding, feeling the embossed titles. She pulled a book off the shelf, and as soon as she had, she felt the air grow considerably colder. A powerful aura made contact with hers. The touch was as cold as ice, and the feeling she immediately got was dark and vicious. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Her mind raced. There had only been two others like her, with power like she had. She remembered them, passing by them in the halls, clutching onto the brief connection they shared, like a brush of a palm against a shoulder or a secret handshake. Their auras were kindred. They had their secrets and parts of their auras were flecked with darkness and holes, but they were like sisters she had never known, and never really tried to contact outside of the occasional passing. They were the closest things to friends she had.

Closing her eyes a moment, she searched for their energy, for their protection and her own. She did not want to be alone with this new presence. Yukino was in the drama room a few buildings up. Eri was on the roof. If it wasn't either of them, who else could it be that gave off a feeling of such power? Could it be...Omi? The feeling began to enclose around her. He was behind her, she could feel it. A hand rested on her shoulder, causing her to jolt at the shock.

"Oh, sorry I startled you. You looked like you kind of blanked out."

Lain twisted around sharply. Her eyes focused on a tall man with light skin and the most secretive verdant eyes she'd ever seen. His deceptively thin body hid its panther-like musculature beneath a double-breasted white coat. Beneath the coat, she could see traces of a dress shirt in a classy shade of dark emerald with a white collar. He had long, board-straight orange-red hair that shagged past his shoulders. It was a bit messy, but it was kept out of his eyes by a contrasting yellow bandana that looked out of place with the rest of the getup. His eyes as bright and shocking as his hair and a glint of mischievousness hung in his irises. His lips played into a devil-may-care smile that made Lain's brain tingle with distrust. If he hadn't been sizing her up as though she were a particularly juicy steak, he might have almost been attractive in a reckless, bad-boy sort of way.

"I-I have to go." She blinked at him, clearly intimidated.

He looked about in his early twenties. Was he a teacher? By his dress, he most likely wasn't, but he was too old to be a student. She started for the entrance but one of his hands caught her elbow and pulled her back a little. Lain grunted. If she wasn't stuck in a school library, she would have taught him a thing or two. The radiant man grinned slyly as he held out the book to her.

"Aren't you forgetting your book?"

He was toying with her and they both knew it. 

"Ah, I was just looking. Thanks anyway, uh, mister..." She didn't bother to wait for him to introduce himself. She darted out quickly. There was something about that man; something in his eyes that told her it wasn't going to be their last meeting.

Lain hurried upstairs. She had to find Yukino and Eri. It was a little comforting to know there were more people like herself, more outcasts to society. But his energy...it was so cold, so full of emotions she hated to make known to herself in fear of going too far. She was seriously freaked out, and she really didn't know what to think.

"The best thing to do is to not think at all, my dear."

The man tossed the book in his hand. He stopped a moment and turned the book over and read the title. In gold-embossed letters, it announced 'Redemption.' Snorting at this, he threw the book behind him and walked out.

"Hey you stupid punk don't throw books around! Come back here and pick it up! Hey! I'll get you suspended!" The voice faded off behind him.

. . . . .

Yukino blew a strand of dusty blond hair from her face and continued to read. She was deeply engrossed in her most recent play, and her shadowy forest-green eyes danced across the lines wildly.

At her old school, she had spent most her free time alone either reading scripts or thinking up her own. Since she had moved to Tokyo, her routine hadn't changed much. She had never really had gotten along with most of her classmates and same-aged peers. While they were active and talkative, she remained reserved and silent. She wasn't very active. No, she was rather frail and sickly-looking in comparison, like a malnourished calf on legs that were too long for her body. The model companies might have eaten up her image if she could stop getting black eyes and mysterious wounds all over her pale skin. Worse, she was half European, though of what precise descent she was unsure. She only knew that it made her grossly different from the other students. Her hair was light, her skin was light, and her eyes were light. But the light in them had long since faded.

She didn't see much of a reason to talk with most people, since she figured they wouldn't understand. Most of the time, she was right. Besides, talking about her problems might have gotten her into more trouble than her silence did.

She winced as sunlight from the classroom window focused on her sore arm. This was a fresh wound, and warmth from the sun was never good on those. They always felt like they were burning, like someone was putting out a cigarette on her arm. She didn't need to draw up her deceivingly white sleeve to look at it. It would be changing from dark blue to a ruddy purple by now, like splotches of watercolor paint had absorbed into her skin. She would have to wear long sleeved shirts for the next two weeks until it had fully healed, and by then, she was sure there would be more of them to hide.

She felt the aura before its owner entered, and she looked up in time to see Lain walk into the room, the loud clattering of her shoes cutting through the silence. Yukino suddenly felt that she should put her jacket on to hide her secrets from Lain's all-too-knowing eyes.

"Hi Lain," Yukino spoke softly, her voice cracking as it tried to warm up after going unused for so long.

"Did you feel it?" Lain blurted out with out responding to the greeting.

"W-what?" Yukino asked, surprised. She lifted an eyebrow at her friend in question. "What are you talking about? Did I feel what?"

"The energy."

"You mean Eri's? She's on the roof," Yukino pointed her index finger up and gave Lain a don't-you-know-that look.

"Not Eri. It was a man."

"A man?" Yukino looked startled. Lain was scaring her now, and she realized with a twinge of alarm that Lain had a look on her face that Yukino had never seen and could not explain.

"He had long hair, and these eyes...but anyway, you really didn't feel it? It was positively arctic."

Lain was pacing now. Yukino let her green eyes follow the dark haired girl across the room, studying her critically.

"What do you mean 'arctic?' Lain, what are you talking about? Who was he?"

"Yukino, there's another one, another one of us. We all met because we were following this feeling we had, right?" Lain waited for her friend to nod, and Yukino politely obliged. "I felt that same feeling today, in the library…only it wasn't the same energy that I pick up from you and Eri. It was cold, like when you just wake up and your bare feet hit the bathroom floor. I couldn't think straight. It was like there was something holding me back from him. Yet…oh Yuki, I can't explain it. But you're sure you didn't feel it?"

"No, not at all." Yukino looked sincerely worried now. "I'm sorry Lain." Yukino watched as Lain slumped down at a desk and sighed. "Listen," she began again, folding her hands and steepling her fingers. "If you see him again, steer clear of him. Whatever he is, it doesn't sound good. Look how freaked out he has you."

Lain couldn't help but nod a little.

"If he comes near you again, call out for Eri and I. Three whack jobs are better than one, right?"

Yukino gave her friend a stiff smile, as though the gesture almost hurt her. Lain realized she probably didn't do it often, because it even looked strange on her face.

"Okay," she agreed.

Yukino felt a little bad. Lain and Eri were her only other friends, and it made her feel awful to see either of them down. Then again, Lain almost always down, and she didn't like to get too close to people. Something about her past that never let her stay close to anyone for too long.

Even though they had only seen each other around for a few days, it felt like they had known each other forever. They all knew what it felt like to be left alone; to feel the emptiness inside grow and take over. They understood the pain of the taunts and jeers of fellow students. And yet, they didn't know the individual sufferings of each other's pasts…but their secrets were theirs to keep, and that's how they had gotten on so far.

Eri entered the room. She emitted a feeling of grace and good spirits, and her appearance fit the profile. She seemed healthy enough, though a bit on the thin side. She had curious autumn-colored eyes that in some lights looked red, and in some lights looked yellow, but mostly seemed to be a fascinating shade of brown. Her thick, wavy hair was neatly combed and her skin was light, like Yuki's, and dappled with freckles. Her uniform was ironed and she carried her books in one arm. She walked as though she knew the ground beneath her would always be there, but there were occasional looks of uncertainty that played across her features like a cruel melody, twisting her smiling lips into a pensive frown, making her appear as bitter as an innocent woman on death row.

Out of the three, she was the only one who seemed to be relatively normal, and got along well socially. She had a few friends at her old school and her grandmother had always tried to instill a bit of happiness within her heart. Apparently it worked, since she was almost always the one trying to brighten the other two. She was good at it, too.

"Hello!" She shouted with her arms up in the air. "I just saw the funniest thing you wouldn't..." She paused, looking at the other two girls. "Hey, what's wrong?"

_What's wrong is it _this time_, you mean,_ Yukino thought darkly. And then: _No, shut up. She's not like that._

"Lain met some guy who has a very dark energy field surrounding him. He was in the library. She thinks it may be someone like us, but I didn't feel anything." Yukino cast Lain a guilty look, but Lain only shrugged. 

"Did he by chance have long, reddish hair?" Eri asked, gesturing the approximate length of his hair on herself.

"With like a coat and a yellow bandana on his head?" Lain demanded excitedly. Yuki quirked an eyebrow again, her interest piqued.

"Yes! You saw him too?" Lain shot up from her seat, almost knocking Yukino over.

"Kind of." Eri smiled nervously at Lain's sudden outburst. "The librarian was chasing after some a guy who looked like that. She was waving a pink slip around in the air. I'm guessing she was trying to give him detention. It was pretty funny. You should have seen it."

"It doesn't make any sense though. Why did only Lain feel it?" Yukino rubbed her chin. "I don't like it. It sounds calculated."

"Yeah, but do you really think that someone like us could control their own _aura_ so that they can hide it from others, and unleash it on certain people?" 

Lain didn't want to mention it then, but she had a sickening feeling that began to writhe within her stomach. What Yukino had said made her feel like it was going to be one of the few times they would be together again like this.

_It's starting again…_

. . . . .

Yukino heaved a deep sigh, easing slowly into the cold plastic chair attached to the metal desk. She quietly set her backpack on the floor beside her feet, folding her hands and casting a quick glance at her good friend Lain. The two girls gave each other a small nod. The bell rang, and Yukino straightened her shirt a bit, looking up at the art teacher with a dazed expression.

The art teacher began talking in a slow, boring manner, and Yukino found herself zoning out little by little. It was times like these that she absorbed intimate details; the popular kids near the front rows waiting until the teacher turned to pass notes safely, the one girl in the corner who constantly enveloped herself in nauseating perfume, the scent of the board cleaner, and the way the pencils made scratchy noises as they skipped over the paper on a few students' desks. She glared at the floor absently.

She needed a job, and she needed to move out quickly. She absently wondered if her two friends would be good roommates, or if they would mind living with a girl who had voices in her head and never slept with less than two lights on. She knew it was childish, but she couldn't stand thinking about the door, the darkness, and what nightmares lay beyond the threshold…

Her thoughts continued to spin in her mind as the hands on the clock turned slowly. She looked up a little, carrying an expression of lazy attention as she half listened to the teacher and half listened to the thoughts in her mind. She hated that her mind was never silent, and that it was forever spinning with dark thoughts and voices that she'd only recently managed to figure out how to silence. It was more out of concern for her friends, or to be precise, more out of concern for her friends finding out her secrets, that she had forced herself to learn the arduous shielding process. It took a considerable amount of energy out of her on a daily basis, and it was a wonder she hadn't been driven insane by now.

"...and Van Gogh was particularly famous for what style of painting, Kasugawa?" 

Yukino did not respond for a moment. She had not even heard her name called. The art teacher came around her blind spot, dropping a book on the floor beside her loud enough to make her jump. Adrenline screamed through every vein and she looked up, casting a challenging glare at the teacher. The teacher glared right back, holding her ground as though trying to establish her dominance.

It seemed forever that the two stared at each other, then the teacher turned and strolled casually back to the board. Yukino's silent fury sent tingles up the teacher's spine. If there was one thing that scared her that she'd never admit to, it was the insane sparkle in the back of Yukino's cold, glassy eyes when someone challenged her. It was something that she only saw when the girl became angry, and she could almost see pinpoints of gold flecks in her pupils.

"And again, I ask you, Van Gogh was famous for what painting style, Yukino?"

"I—"

The teacher quite suddenly rounded on her. Perhaps it was something about being challenged, or maybe it was that fear translated to anger for both of them. Either way, it was a stupid thing to do, and both of them knew it from the moment the teacher's eyes met hers.  

"Wasn't paying attention? Don't know? Didn't study? Didn't do your homework? Didn't do _anything_?" Yukino's eyes flashed, but still, the teacher continued. "You're quickly becoming a problem student Yukino, and I'll have you thrown out of this class if you can't pay attention and do a bit of simple reading. What happened to last week's project?"

"My mom threw it away."

"Uh huh, and why won't she call or come in and verify that with me?"

Yukino was silent, her expression emotionless but her eyes warning of a murderous rage that was burning high and hot within her chest, bringing a slight flush to her cheeks. Lain gripped the edges of her chair until her knuckles whitened, and from three rows away, Omi saw it and winced. Somehow, he knew something bad was going to happen. He wondered if teachers always chose to pick on the silent students, or if it was just these two. He looked up at Lain again and saw that she was staring intently at Yukino. There seemed to be a silent exchange going on between them.

When Yukino spoke, it was very sharply, and she spat each word with the cracking force of gunshots.

"If you would let me finish my response to your question, I might give you a decent answer," Yukino replied. The teacher's round brown eyes widened a fraction.

"Excuse me?" The teacher asked with a nasty expression, lowering her wide-rimmed spectacles to glare at her student. "Such tones are not tolerated toward your teachers. You need to learn some respect for your elders, Kasugawa. Or perhaps just your _superiors_." There was something particularly condescending about the way she put emphasis on the word.

Yukino was prepared to ignore it. At worst, she would possibly end up walking out of the class. But the teacher was a fool, and she couldn't let a student's mutiny go. She just had to speak one more time.  

"Would your _mother_ let you speak to her like that?"

It was as if a rubber band had snapped. Yukino's expression flashed in an instant from raw, bleeding hatred to a self-satisfied smirk, and she sat up very straight, her arms folded neatly on her desk, a tiny vein bulging in her forehead. Her green eyes defied her calmness, and her irises swirled with a maelstrom of power while her pupils dilated to pinpoints. A gust of icy wind rush past both sides of the students directly in front of Yukino's seat, and the entire class let out a collective gasp, wide-eyed faces reflecting complete shock as the teacher was inexplicably lifted in the air, completely off of her feet, and sent hurtling at a shockingly high speed through the open window. She toppled over the windowsill and landed in the bushes outside.

For a few moments the class was in silent shock, then someone laughed nervously, and soon the entire class was roaring with hysterical laughter, muffled giggles and shocked small-talk. Lain and Yukino exchanged knowing glances, and there was a scathing look in Lain's darkened eyes. Yukino squirmed in her chair, looking away, muttering something under her breath.

Omi watched the entire exchange, and he was suddenly very sure of his theory. There were two obvious clues: the two unusual incidents that had occurred that day, and the link between the two girls. There was something definitely unnatural, perhaps supernatural happening here. He remembered the mission briefing and the mention of three parentless girls, possibly subjects of some unnamed faction's mind-control testing, who had emerged with unspeakable supernatural power and were lost among the sea of bodies in Tokyo. Lain and Yukino made up two of the three descriptions, and Omi was sure that there had to be one more. There would be no coincidences here. He needed to talk to the other members of Weiß, and quickly. Had Schwarz already made contact with them?

A dark-haired boy with a very clean, dark blue school uniform stood watching through the windows that faced the hall. His expression was almost completely stoic, had it not been for a tinge of thoughtfulness that lingered in his comely features.

_Yukino_, he thought to himself, and he watched the green-eyed girl gather her things as she prepared to flee the classroom. He thrust his hands into his pockets, leaning against the wall closest to the classroom door.

The teacher managed to pull herself together, her cheeks splotched with a crimson blush of humiliation that looked unnatural on her rage-whitened skin. Her normally dull cocoa eyes were almost black with fury and her expression was twisted into a grimace of pure malice.

"You…you FREAK!" The teacher shrieked. "Get out of my class! NOW! I will have you expelled for this!"

Yukino indignantly rose from her seat and stiffened, standing up straight to cast another brutal glare at the teacher, who noticeably shrank in response. She smirked again and walked out the door, making sure to slam it behind her, with the extra help of a little gravitational pull. The class flinched as the glass over the door shattered with a tinkling of scattered shards.

The students sat in confused awe as the teenager walked out of sight. Yukino silently headed for the office, glaring at the ground and her shoes while she walked. She knew she had screwed up, and now, everyone would be talking about the Freak with magical powers.

"Yukino," the boy against the wall called to her.

His aura hit her like a roll of thunder. She felt a wave of nausea pass over her, and there was a sickening churning in her stomach. She wondered how she couldn't have sensed this strong power before. It wasn't particularly malicious. It was almost exactly like Lain had described, but on a lower, more concealed frequency. She froze without turning around as the uniformed boy approached her.

"Your power is…it's a gift, you know," he said delicately, and even as he said it, he knew she didn't believe him. He wasn't as charismatic as his comrades.

Yukino remained dead silent.

"I can help you learn to control it, Yukino. This world is no place for people like you and I."

"You," she said simply, and she turned, and for the first time since he had become one of the assassin quartet known as Schwarz, he felt ice embrace his heart in a cocoon. Her aura was unbelievable. Perhaps it was not as strong as his, but his was under control, and hers was bleeding forth in torrents that made his skin prickle and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

For her part, she was momentarily startled by the blue of his eyes. They were darker than the deepest ocean. She felt like she could drown in those eyes, so full of sorrow that had been crammed away somewhere behind a wall of control. She saw her own pain reflected in the, her own rage.  

"You…you have it, too?"

"Yes," he replied simply. He decided to let her ask the questions and to take the honest approach.

"Prove it," she demanded.

He lowered his head, so that she could only see his dark bangs shadowing his eyes. The lockers lining the wall trembled, and she could hear the contents of them vibrating. Several of them dented in slightly. She looked surprised, and most importantly, satisfied.

"Yukino—" he began.

"Yuki," she corrected, her voice slightly above a whisper. The madness in her eyes was gone, replaced with a gentle, prying curiosity.

"Yuki," he said softer than he meant to, "I…I understand."

The way he said it, so sincere, his cobalt eyes boring into hers, blue on green like one of Van Gogh's paintings, she believed him. Something about the way he said it just made her _believe_. Perhaps a part of her just wanted to have _something_ to believe in.  

"Now that they know, this world is not going to trust you. It's…unfortunate, but it will be this way forever. However...if you will come with me, join the others that I work for, I can help you. Leave all of this meaninglessness behind."

"But…my friends," she said softly. She could feel the tears burning in her eyes. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and a part of her already knew what her answer would be.

"Bring them with you," he urged. She looked up at him in surprise. This, she had not expected.

"And the redhead?"

The Prodigy visibly flinched, surprised.

"Yes, he is one of ours."

"He scared my friend," Yuki said, gazing up at the fluorescent white lights. They were so sterile, so overpowering, but so safe. She needed light. There would never be enough light.

"I apologize. Schuldig is not very…" The Prodigy thought about the rest of his group and wondered if Schuldig would be the worst of her concerns. "Sociable," he decided on saying.  

"I don't like it when people scare my friends," she put too much emphasis on the word 'friends', and it made her seem overly fragile.

Somehow, he couldn't help it. He gently touched her shoulder and he knew it was the wrong thing to do the instant he'd done it, because she flinched, though it was not because he'd scared her or overshot his boundaries with her. No, he'd touched a wound that was not socially inflicted. This one was real, and it hurt her. She pulled away with a look of desperate sadness, and began to walk away.

This time, he knew he was overstretching the mark, but he went for it anyway. He couldn't afford to lose her or her friends to Weiß, especially not now that the Takatori boy knew about them. He reached forward and grabbed her forearm and she gasped at the vibration of pain that ran up the injured limb. He narrowed his eyes in understanding of her discomfort.

"Who's hurting you, Yuki?"

"No one," she said instinctively.

"Yuki, your arm—"

"Leave me alone!"

Her voice was high with fear and confusion. She thrust his hand from her shoulder, and he knew he'd pushed too far. She turned and ran toward the office, passing it by and bursting out of the school doors completely. A few staff members called after her, but she could not hear them. She raced the wind as far as she could from that feeling, that voice, that power. She was shaken to her marrow by the strange words of comfort.

Understanding. Compassion. Affection. Yukino had never felt these things before. She was so confused and afraid, but so lighthearted and free. She ran and ran, her legs carrying her fast over the cold pavement as if she would never stop running. The world began to close in on her with chokingly tight walls and she felt the grips of despair clutching at her heart. Even with friends, there seemed to be no possible way that she'd break free of the memory of this boy and his speech.

_Can it be true? _she thought to herself silently as she ran. _…Revenge. It's the perfect line to my play. It's something I want. But can I trust him? Can I trust this 'Schwarz?' Can I trust anyone? Oh god, there's not enough light. I need more light. I'm going to suffocate. I'm going to die.  _

Her mind cried out silently as she continued running, down the street and around the corner, dodging between cars that honked their horns furiously in protest. She felt her eyes burning as if she would cry, but her sobs were silent and no tears came.

Nagi stood up straight in the hallway. As he was about to go after her, a hand fell upon his shoulder, and he looked up into the glinting lenses and emotionless eyes of the Oracle.

"Let her go. She will seek you again."

Nagi nodded to Brad and sighed. He knew he'd partially screwed up his role, but all was not lost yet. Something about Yukino haunted him, and every time he closed his eyes, he could only see her hurt expression before she ran away.


	2. The Unforgiven Sins

CHAPTER II : Michi Tame Daraku

(Claudine)

The teacher stood at the front of the class, struggling to recompose herself. It was obvious she didn't know what happened and her mind was having trouble coming to grips with her sudden flight. The class snickered, though not knowing what or how their teacher was tossed out the window. Silencing the class with an angered glare she tried to continue. Omi glanced over to the empty chair beside Lain, though he didn't know the fellow classmate like she did he still felt sorry for her dismissal. 

"I'm going to call the janitor to clean this mess up. Please get with a partner and read the over your next assignment." 

The class stirred as they rushed about pairing up with their friends. Through the glasses she wore on her face, which were now a bit crooked, she glared at Yukino's friend. 

"And Lain I will not allow you to work alone," Lain's eyes dropped from her elder instructor. She struggled to hold in the will to get the teacher back for sending her friend out, and for singling her out. Yukino had been acting more distant than usual; she made quite a few bathroom breaks through their classes. Lain knew her friend's bladder couldn't be as unstable as an older person. She sighed, though they were similar in so many ways she still couldn't understand why she hid from her. A light tap on her head caused her to look up. A bright eyed boy beamed at her cheerfully. 

"In need of a partner?" Omi questioned taking Yukino's seat. 

"Why do you bother me so?" Lain mumbled. "You could go bug some other girl, but you choose me." 

"You look in need of cheering up." Lain turned her head away, "A person like me doesn't deserve cheer," she muttered. Omi opened his lips to counter her sore words, but then thought better and just pretended not to hear. A sharp icy pain stabbed her side. Her cherry wood eyes dilated in the sudden flash of discomfort. The sides of her head throbbed with each pump of blood. 

'That's right you don't deserve happiness...you're nothing. You know that though,' a cold voice filled with malice snickered. 'Who are you? Why don't you leave me alone!' 

'I can't. I like you too much. Reminded me of myself when I was in high school. Minus the fact you're so weak.

'Get out of my head!' 

'You sound so scared. Oh you are!' a sickening laugh. 'I bet you look so cute when your eyes are glowing with fear.' 

'If you don't stop I'll find you and...' 

'And what? Kill me? Like you killed Nyao? That's right, it wasn't your fault. You just weren't around when he needed you the most that's all. You betrayed him, left him when he needed you.' the voice accused. 'Everyone you touch you kill. How do you feel about that? No one is safe from you. Anyone normal that is. I can help you fix this problem...you'll never be alone ever again,'

The pain got worse as the last sentence played back in all corners of her mind. A sense of warmth left the building and things began to spin. She could no longer sit upright. Omi was talking to her but the one in her head drowned his voice out. 

"Lain!" he caught her before she hit the ground. "Lain? Are you okay?" 

"Y-yea..." she tried to stand. "Okay maybe not," 

"Ms. Gen, I think Lain might have to go to the office," Omi put one of her arms around his shoulder, helping her to stand. 

"Fine," the teacher spat reluctantly. 

"I bet she's faking it on purpose," a girl whispered as they walked out. "Yeah I'll teach that good for nothing brat for moving in on Omi," Hina glared. Lain's eyes darkened and a desk quivered a moment, the metal legs denting in. She thought better of it; this want for pay back to her ridiculors had to stop. Once down a few halls she shoved her escort off. She didn't want to be so rude to him; he really was a nice guy. So far he had done nothing to hurt her, that soon would change though it always did. Besides after what happened so many times, she didn't want it to happen to such a kind faced boy. He looked so loving and warm. Two things that were rare and short lived; he had to keep that temporary flame lit. Lain weakly leaned along a row of lockers, it was another encounter with that man, he was so near she could almost smell him. Yukino had fled the school and she had to go after her, he could be trying to hurt Yuki and she couldn't let that happen. Even though Yuki was capable of great powers, she didn't know what that guy might pull. 

"I don't need your help," she spat harshly as she could. The boy looked broken. 

"Lain...listen to me, I can help you." 

"You can't help me!" she screamed still clinging to the lockers, her brain recalling the voice. "No one can help me. You just don't understand, you don't understand!" she leaned forward and gasped, she was yelling more at herself than him. 'Why did you have to complicate things more so than they are?' 

"..." Omi stood there silently as she went into hysteria. 

"You don't know what it feels like to be me. They laugh and pick on people like me and they'll do it to you if you keep following me around." she tried to walk along the lockered wall. 'He's such a nice boy. Only good kids make friends...he can't have his world broken down because of me. Not like the others. He won't become like the others!' 

"You're talking crazy Lain-chan," reaching out his hand he grabbed her arm. "Now c'mon you're not feeling well." 

"Who cares?" she snapped flatly, but allowing him to hold onto her arm. 

"I do, and you should too," 

"Don't say things like that," she muttered. "Besides I don't have time to take care of myself. I have to find Yukino," she stumbled drunkenly, her head felt like it weighed a ton. 

"She's in the office, where we're going," he coaxed her to let the locker she was gripping go. "No she's not, she's in trouble. I have to go help her," 

"I'm not going to let you go in this condition," Omi stated firmly. 

"...You have no say in this. I've already made up my mind," she smiled slyly. He was about to pull her off the wall and carry her the next few halls but something happened. With her sly little smile attached to her pained face she vanished. His hand felt her slip away until he was holding nothing but air. Blue eyes surveyed the area; there was no way she could have done what he saw. No one had abilities like that but...his heart raced, then could they be in real danger. 

*****

Yukino felt her legs tightening up, refusing to run any farther. She hated when her body gave out; all that energy from that boy must have had an effect on her. She only got this exhausted when she used her powers to maximum. Stopping she hunched over and held her knees, drawing in air like she was bereft from it her whole life. Strands of hair from her hair tie had flown out and hung in front of her face. That boy...the feeling...though it was unpleasant at first there was a sense of warmth with it. Lain had told her about her experience with a man who gave off the same energy. However, with Lain it ended up with her being afraid and tormented by it. For her it had a sense of...love...more like a kindred spirit...someone who knew what it was to be her. Eri and Lain knew only half of it; her life at home was something they knew nothing of. They all had been rejected as children, but Eri had her grandmother and Lain had her little brother...but she, she didn't have anyone. Her mother...her step mother...was anything but loving. She was a hateful mass of flesh, and she returned the spite. Though there were so many times she could have crushed her with a single twitch of her eyebrow, she didn't. Who else was there? Besides they might have put her in another foster home, or worse, an institution. He body began to shake with a fear she tasted too many times, and the dark presence that remained in her still. 

"Yukino!" a voice spoke faintly behind her. She straightened her body tiredly, still facing fatigue. 

"L-Lain?" she panted. 

"...Yu-ki," the short hair girl collapsed on the cement. "Are you...okay?" she breathed. Yukino sat on the ground and leaned her friend's back on her legs. 

"I'm fine. You felt him too?" 

"You felt him? The same man from the library?" Lain shut her eyes as a few droplets of sweat rolled long her eyelids. 

"No it was a different one. It was a kid, he was about our age." 

"I didn't feel him." Lain looked up at her. "I felt the other one. Did he talk to you?" 

"..." Yukino let her mind drift back. His light eyes mirrored her life, his scars were hers. In his light face there seemed that there could be no thought of evil, the perfect painting of innocence but behind the mask lay the masterpiece of abuse. 

'I can help you...'

Yukino's face exchanged her exhaustion into a worried pained grimace. Could he really give her what she had wanted? Her revenge against that...Thing...she didn't dare call mom. Could she actually trust him? Trust. She silently scoffed at the word, for that's what it was, only a word. It was only an illusion like everything else in this world. Lain turned to her, her eyes searching for an answer that Yukino knew she couldn't give. She wanted to know how it felt if it was the same pain. To see if it was the sickening choking spasms that she had been exposed to. However, it wasn't and she didn't know how to explain that to her. Her hazel eyes fell from the stare they shared. Though she couldn't exactly tell she knew Lain was frowning. 

"Yukino, I don't know what's happening...but it's frightening me. For the first time I can almost feel like I'm not a total outcast, that I'm not alone. Even with Takume I could never fit in. He's only my half brother and he doesn't have abilities like me. He's got an easy life, but me I worry about going too far or if anyone is going to find out. I don't want to lose you or Eri. You're the only friends I have," Lain's eyes began to brim with water. Yuki's face saddened. She trusted her; she wanted her to be her friend. How could she trust someone who didn't believe in the word? Lain looked so helpless she tried her hardest not to cry but the tears seemed to have a mind of their own. Yukino put out the image and the words of the boy. She had dwelled too much on it already and she was tired, not only was it taking energy away but the whole situation was upsetting to her...friend. She felt her eyes burn with emotions she wanted to hide away forever. Soon they were both crying, not holding anything back anymore. They cried for the love they wanted and for the friendship they didn't want to let go of. 

*****

Omi started into the shop, he was late again, and he knew Yohji wasn't going to be pleased. He had a date that night and he didn't want to make the lady wait. Since he was always busy with school he had to close up shop and often work on the weekends to make up for his absence during the week. The other members of Weiß were old enough to not have to worry about school. Ken was about nineteen and Aya and Yohji were in their early twenties. Though he was the baby of the group, and was taunted by Yohji because of this, he pulled around more than Yohji or Ken when it came to missions. Aya had often trusted him with information that he never spoke a breath to the other two men. At least someone appreciated him. Pulling the door open he ran in, the sound of the ringing bell following him as the door shut. 

"Sorry I'm late!" he panted. "Eh?" He looked at the empty building. "Hello?" Omi set his bag down and ran into the back room. Three men sat on various items of furniture. A tall stone face man with bright fiery hair and deep violet eyes reclined, his arms folded across his chest with disdain, in a plush white chair. Another man about the same age, maybe a year or two older, lay sprawled out in a pose that could have been in a fashion magazine. His brown hair tied in the back, but his lengthy wavy bangs hugged around his face. In between the chair and couch was a short hair man, a few years old than himself, sitting with his chocolate eyes fixed on the woman sitting across from them all. Birman. 

"About time you got here," Yohji pushed a handful of hair from his eyes. 

"Sorry something came up," he said nervously and pulled up a chair from the back. 

"I guess I won't be going on my date then," Yohji muttered.

"Focus your feeble little mind a minute. I have a new mission," she snapped. "Thus the reason why you're here," 

Ken replied with a scoff, he probably wanted to go play soccer with the kids at the park. "Let's try to hurry this up I have a game to play!" 

"You two are like children," she shook her head and played the recording. After the mission briefing from their recorded boss Aya was the first to speak. 

"So we're looking for three people who Schwarz might be after?" 

"I don't get it, how do we find them? Once we do what then?" Ken questioned. 

"When you find them your job is to recruit them," 

"Like Schwarz?" Aya's violet eyes flashed anger. 

"In a word...yes." Birman shrugged. "A person with psychic abilities would be a great asset to this team," 

"We don't need anymore people," Aya snarled, they would be no better than their enemy if they sunk to their level. 

"Ah c'mon Aya. It'll mean less work for us at the shop. The kid wouldn't have to do any real work right?" Yohji turned to Birman. 

"He would be just like the rest of you," 

"Hmm, I doubt that. My charm and good looks come only once in a lifetime." 

"You keep telling yourself that," Birman stood up. "Well I guess you boys better get started." 

"Uh, Birman what sort of abilities would these people have?" Omi questioned. The woman paused a moment. 

"We really don't know Omi. If you see anything that's strange then you probably should do a background check. Have fun," she waved and was out the door. 

"Well I'm off," Yohji stood up and started for the door. "I'll see you all in the morning," he smiled and walked out. 

"Yeah right," Ken snorted. "Hey you okay Omi?" 

"I think I know who we're looking for," 

"Wha?" Ken asked loudly. "What are you talking about we just got briefed just a minute ago," 

"At school...well some strange things have been going on. I'm not sure about the other girl, but this one girl. Just vanished before my eyes." 

"Like how?" Aya joined. 

"I had her arm and she just disappeared into thin air. I'm standing there holding what used to be her arm and looking at a wall of lockers. There's no way she could have ran anywhere that fast." 

"Hmm, I guess then you'll be doing profile checks then huh?" 

Omi sighed. "Yeah I suppose," 

They always made him do all the work. 

"C'mon Omi we have a lot of work to do," Aya pulled him along. 

*****

Ken looked over the field, all the kids had probably left for home already. He kicked the dirt, he really wanted to see a good game. He hated when mission briefings took longer than they needed. There wasn't any reason to wait around here anymore. He'd get some take out and then head home, maybe he'd help Aya and Omi if he felt like it. Just as he was about to leave a soccer ball rolled in front of him. He stopped it with his left foot and then looked around to see in which direction it came. A little boy with a blue jacket on and red sneakers ran toward him. 

"Excuse me Misstata," he stood in front of him. "That's my ball," 

In comparison to him he was tiny, he had to fully extend his neck to look up at him. In so many ways he looked like himself when he was his age. Having the same bowl hair cut and the same big brown eyes that were entranced in everything in the world. At that age everything was so big and interesting. Nothing could go wrong and heroes seemed more powerful and stronger than they actually were. The boy took one of his fists and used it to rub the grass pollen from his face. He kept one eye looking straight up at the older man. Ken could see he took an immediate liking to him. 

"It is?" he picked it up and bent down next to him. "Here you go then," 

"Thanks a much," the child smiled hugging the ball as if it was a stuffed bear. 

"You're playing here by yourself?" his dark eyes wandered along the empty park. 

"Yeah. Nobody is here anymore, they all went home," he replied a little sad. 

"Where's your papa?" 

"I donno. Haven't seen 'em in two years Misstata," he held up two small fingers. "I'm five, so I was three when we left. I came to the park to look for some friends but all the kids left an' Misstata Tree is sleeping so I played by myself." 

"Well isn't your mom going to be worried?" the boy shook his head. "Hmm, I'm not so sure," 

"Misstata can you be my friend?" the boy questioned as Ken tried to look around for a stressed out woman calling for the boy. "Lain always says I need to make friends, because good kids get friends." 

"Sure. But first I have to take you home, so your mommy doesn't freak," 

"She won't," he said passively. "I'm Takume Kinji. This is Misstata Ball, over there is Misstata Tree, do you have a name Misstata?" he held up the grass stained ball over his head. 

"Yeah I'm Ken Hidaka," he picked up the boy. "Let's return you and Mr. Ball okay?" 

"'Kay," the ball fell out of his small hands. "Ahh, Misstata Ball!" Ken was just about to pick up the ball when a girl appeared before him and fell over. She just popped out of nowhere, he must have not have heard the young teenager running toward them. Her hair was short and she wore a uniform like the one at Omi's school. Her face was pale as the moon that slowly started to rise into the night. Her cheeks were pink and she looked like she was going through a terrible fever. The boy in his arms squirmed to be let down. Ken lowered him and he ran to the fallen girl, he followed behind still trying to figure out how she appeared. 

"Ta-Takume..." she panted. "I was looking...all over town..." 

"I'm sorry. You must have expended lots of power. I'm a bad boy," he lowered his head. Ken watched the girl close her eyes and slowly try to breathe. She was his mom? She was Omi's age! Maybe it was an accident...if Takume was five that meant she was much younger when she had him. The father most likely wasn't going to stay around to take care of a baby. Ken felt strange sitting beside the two. He wondered what she had to do to support the both of them...maybe she had "met" Yohji a few times. A small bit of fury entered in him with that thought. If it wasn't for the uniform he could of thought her older than she was, maybe about his age. Yohji probably had met her. 

"No you're not a bad boy...you're just difficult, like me," she tried to smile. 

"Are you going to die?" he asked fearfully. 

"No. I'm not going to die, I have to take care of you. I live for that," 

"Good 'cause I need my big sis," he hugged her. "I'm sorry Lain," 

"It's okay Takume, just tell me you want to go to the park next time." she struggled to sit up. He watched for a second before he rushed to help her. Takume was actually her brother, so that meant she wasn't a young mother. Maybe he wouldn't have to kick the crap out of Yohji when he got home. Unless he felt like it. 

The girl touched his arm with icy fingers and she weakly tried to push him away. 

"Lain! I want you to meet my new friend, this is Misstata Ken." Lain looked up at the man who was helping her. He had such meaningful mossy colored eyes his chestnut bangs fell in front of his face, giving him a mysterious and some what clean cut appearance. His touch was warm and helped her body start homeostasis again. Though she was covered in sweat she was extremely cold, the condensation on her body didn't help much either, seeing how it brought it the cooling night air. She had transported everywhere looking for her little brother. Unlike the link she had with Eri, Yukino, and that strange man from the library, she didn't have one with her brother. She tried downtown, the beach, the mall, the schools, the dojo, the subways, and then she remembered the missing ball. Teleporting was always hard on her, she was trying to get the skill down, but even after a couple of times she was wiped out. This time she couldn't even feel her legs, and her vision was coming and going like the traffic beside them. 

"Hi," he whispered looking into her half open eyes. "Are you alright?" Lain tried to push him off. 

"I can get up on my own," 

"I'm not too sure of that," Ken picked her up. 

"No, don't...I have to..." 

"Nothing, I'll just take you home," 

"But I locked the keys inside." 

"Then you're coming to my house," 

"It's okay I'll get a taxi and go to...to...Eri's house," her eyes closed, the arms she was using to ineffectively shove him to let go went limp and dropped. 

"Lain!" Takume shrieked. "Shh, it's okay she's just sleeping. C'mon Takume you get to visit my house," Ken smiled encouragingly to the boy. 

"This is all my fault." he held his ball tightly. 

"Don't be so down, she's still alive. Now c'mon Ken's house is a little far,"

Takume sat down beside his sister not since they had entered the house, three hours ago, had he moved. He kept watching her and trying to talk to her. He had put a wet towel on her forehead but her condition hadn't changed much. She just needed sleep, to rest from whatever it was that she did. She probably ran all over town looking for the poor kid. A knock came at the door, when he had got home he sent Omi out to get some food. Aya was angry at first since he had disturbed their searching but when he said that he'd take the morning shift for him he lightened up. 

"Ken-kun hurry up the food is really hot!" Omi's voice came from behind the door. 

"Yes, you get the soup too? Cause I'm not letting you in without it," 

"Ken open the door," Aya's stone voice commanded. 

"You came too eh?" Ken grinned opening the door. 

"Yeah he made me keep the laptop on as we got food." Omi rushed in to relieve his hands. 

"Hey Takume I want you to meet a few friends of mine. This is Omi and this is Aya." Ken coughed. "Aya's not much fun," a small smile appeared on his face. 

"..." Aya glared at the brunette, but Ken pretended not to see and walked off. The violet eyed man's gaze went from the man to the sleeping girl on the couch. 

'Aya-chan?' he blinked. It wasn't his sister but another girl. His eyes softened at the sight of another woman in the same state his sister was. The boy noticed his looks lingering on the girl and he nudged her to wake. 

"This is my sister. She's real tired. I keep talking but she doesn't talk back...she's going to wake up soon right?" 

Takume looked up at Aya, hoping for a comforting answer. Aya bit his tongue as he saw the child acting just like his heart. His sister would wake up soon, he just didn't know when. When she did could she bear to look at someone like him? Someone whose hands were filled with the blood of others for her sake? Could she forgive him? Or would she reject him like the world had so many times and so many years ago? He inwardly sighed as for all he could do was dread and welcome her awaking. He supposed it didn't matter if she hated him or not, as long as she was awake. Up and able to laugh and run like she used to and if his disowning was the cost of it all, he welcomed it. The boy watched his sister as she softly slept; he was no longer waiting for an answer. Ken's voice invaded his thoughts he called Takume to his side to eat something, saying that his sister would be mad if he didn't eat dinner. She probably would if she was awake. Taking the boy's seat he could faintly hear Omi setting up his computer to start looking again. Ken ate his soup loudly and the boy had burnt his tongue on the chicken. Putting his hand on her head he couldn't feel any heat coming from her body. Just like his sister. He wondered if she would ever get the chance to be a normal girl again. A question he often thought about when he saw his sister. 

"Who's the girl?" Omi finally asked after they ate. "I just noticed her now," 

"It's my sis," the boy looked sadly at the couch and Aya. 

"Yeah, I found Takume at the part and she suddenly appeared and then fell over. She kept saying she didn't want any help and that she wasn't coming home with me," 

"Well if I were a girl I wouldn't want to go home with you either," Omi joked. 

"Well you could pass for one," 

"Hey!" the teenager shot a hurt and upset look at him. "I was joking and I could not!" 

"What happened to your sister?" Aya asked from his spot, it was the only thing he said except the 'thank you' he gave Omi when he gave his food to him. 

"She went looking all over for me. I left home because she wasn't there and I wanted to find some friends. She always tells me to make friends. When she got home she couldn't find me so she teleported all over town to look for me. Teleporting makes her real tired, more than when she fixes and breaks big things." 

"I think he means she was looking all over the city," Ken sipped his soda. 

"No, she teleports," Takume tried to explain. "She like in once place then she goes, poof and she's somewhere else. I'm serious Lain can do that!" 

Omi paused. "Did you say Lain? As in Lain Kinji?" 

Takume nodded. 

"Why you know her Omi?" Ken questioned. 

"Yeah it's the girl I was telling you about. She just vanished. I'll look up her records." Omi quickly typed in her name. "There's no file. I bet Schwarz deleted it." 

"So she's one of those people we're looking for?" Ken asked still in a haze. 

"Yeah and if she's one of them I bet I know the other two," his fingers danced over the keys in a blur. Aya watched the expressionless girl slumber. So Schwarz was after her, perhaps her abilities were stronger than he could imagine. Obviously she hadn't become fully skilled with her talents. If she had she wouldn't be in such condition. Still if she was allowed to train her gift she could become dangerous. Did Persia know what he was getting himself into by putting this girl on their team? 

*****

Yukino stood in front of her apartment building. The day had been a rather long one and returning home wasn't much comfort. For the most part home was supposed to be a place where people could hide from the life outside. To quietly lick their wounds inflicted on them from the others on the outside. For teenagers it was supposed to provide advice from parents and comforting solace that always remained pure and ready to embrace one broken soul. For her nothing was great about home, except the small room she had that protected her like a paper bag. She took a deep breath and pushed herself up the stairs and into the elevator. Inside she could hear the small reminisce of a child crying. The girl did not want to go home, she didn't want any part of what was to face her once inside the small two bedroom apartment. Yukino scowled inwardly and forced her inner dread to quiet itself into a single murmur of quickened heart beats. The elevator stopped and a light carefree ding accompanied the opening doors. The old woman who lived a story above her smiled kindly and said a 'good-bye' before the doors closed, leaving her to face her enemy alone. The lady took a liking to her for some reason and greeted her every morning and afternoon. It was the only thing she liked about the building. Her footsteps echoed in the empty halls as she approached the door. Shakily her hand clutched around the doorknob. Why was she so afraid? It was only Her, it wasn't like she could do much of anything to her. Still she somehow injected a sense of dominating power over her. It was hard to explain though she was only a normal woman she still held some unknown force above her. Yukino turned the knob and entered inside. 

"Where the hell have you been? Do you know how late it is?" a sharp shrill voice lashed out of the darkening room. 

"I had somethings to take care of at school," she replied softly, remembering her detention with Ms. Gen. 

"School, school, school. With your after school work I don't know why your grades are still so average! I bet you have something going on don't you? With some boy huh?" 

"No, it's nothing like that," Yukino's mind flashed back to the brown hair mysterious teen she had met. "Just extra work," 

"Oh and I have to wait for you? Well Miss Yukino you won't have me to wait on you hand and foot. I'm not your personal slave ya know! I'm your mother!" the woman bellowed. Yukino could tell she was intoxicated again. When wasn't she not drunk? The few times when she beat her for the shear pleasure, for the rush of inducing harm on another. Even then she seemed a little off like she had been under another flash of some drug. 

"You're not my mother," she whispered spitefully. 

"And thank goodness I'm not the one who gave birth to you! Look at you! You're so sickly looking and you hardly ever say anything good. You hardly say anything at all. You're just a no good freak ya know that? You be thanking me for taking you in. No one else wants you, but I took you in. You should at least be grateful you stupid good for nothing...!" her cursing was cut off by her cup. "Your mother gave you up because you're too much trouble. You with something crazy going on in your head. I know it, don't you think I know it. You're looney, you shouldn't even be allowed to go to school with other kids. You always get yourself into trouble! Don't look at me that way!" the drunken woman broke her glass across the young girl's face. Yukino watched as the glass exploded on impact and floated by her eyes, just barely missing them. For a few seconds she danced with the fate of blindness. Her step mother continued her yelling, now shouting loudly like she was trying to make the people three floors up hear her. Her trembling hand reached up to her cheek. Her eyes were open widely as she felt the warm cuts. They were deep and with only that single faint touch her hand held a small pool of red. A sharp kick dug into her leg and a knee to her abdomen caused her to crumble to the ground. There on the broken glass she struggled to hold in her stomach's content. Why wouldn't someone help her? Eri? Lain? Yuki closed her eyes and awaited for another blow, one she knew would be the one to knock her into a deep sleep. 

But it never came. 

She opened her eyes surprised to see her step mother paralyzed in one spot. Crimson drops raced into her eyes, stinging and clouding her vision. She flinched and quickly rubbed it out. Something warm and familiar rested on her shoulder, helping her to a sitting position. Opening one of her forest colored eyes she recognized the boy from school. 

"What's happening?" her step mother howled still unable to move. The boy wasn't a lone, the tall man that Lain had spoke of was there. Picking her off the floor he held her gently in his arms. He stood still, with his green cat eyes twinkling with some unknown pleasure. Almost as if he was saying: 'I know something you don't'. The dark hair boy in the pale blue-gray uniform composed himself properly and jolted his head toward the door, motioning for the man to leave him. 

"Where are you taking me?" Yukino struggled with the man. "What is he planning on doing?" 

"Nothing you don't want," he smiled wryly. "You're worried about what your friend said about me? Don't be." 

"H-how did you know?" Yukino shuddered as her eyes met his. "Let me down, I don't want to go with you." she wriggled in his tightened grip. 

"I can't my boss wouldn't like that much," he pushed the elevator button. "Besides if you really wanted to leave you would have already." 

Yukino stopped moving, he was right if she really wanted to go she could. There was nothing physically stopping her from floating herself out of his grasp and somewhere safe. But she felt a little obligated to go since they did stop the fury of blows she was taking. Why couldn't it have been Lain or Eri to save her? Weren't they able to tell that she was in pain? Weren't they supposed to be friends? After all that talk from Lain she was a no show when it came to the important things. She felt her heart tearing, she had actually unknowingly trusted them and she was burned. 

"Don't feel so bad, Lain is a little out right now," 

"What do you mean?" Yukino watched the lighted numbers move down. 

"She's unconscious," 

"Is she hurt? What's wrong?" 

"These men, they call themselves Weiß or White Hunters, they attacked her." 

"Why didn't she use her powers then?" 

"She couldn't she was too tired. Her brother had disappeared from their apartment and she was looking everywhere for him. That's when they ambushed her, using her brother as bait," 

She could almost see Lain looking all over the city, teleporting everywhere for her brother. Calling out his name each time fearing that would be the only time she would get to say his name. Each yell waiting for a response or some other sign that he was alive and well. Then when she finally found him, though tired and light headed. Though everything felt like it wasn't functioning there was that flood of hope that allowed her to plod over to the boy. Then in her moment of weakness, the moment she let her guard down she's attacked. Her screams and her brothers fill her mind so that she can no longer hold off the yearning to sleep. Yukino felt hot streams of water fall down her cheeks, inflaming her gashes with her saltly tears. 

"How could they?" she clenched a fist. "How could they!" 

"They've done some horrible things to her in her sleep. The Weiß usually prey on the weak, and like to enjoy their female victims," the man hinted. "I'm sure she'll be okay, she probably won't feel or remember a thing," 

"I'll get revenge for her then!" 

"Good. My name is Schuldich , the boy in the uniform is Nagi. We're part of a group that is set on ridding the city of the ones who prey on the innocent and weak. We were winning that battle, until these White Hunters came along. If you join us, Yukino, we can make sure that your pain will go away, and we can avenge your friend's honor." 

"I'm not a very trusting person Mr. Schuldich," Yukino felt the cold air hit her as he ran outside toward the back alley. "Why should I join you? I can take care of myself." 

"Hmm, from what I saw today I'd say different," 

"I don't need anyone," she floated herself out of his hands. "I appreciate you helping me Mr. Schuldich," 

Schuldich watched as she flew into the air and then rocketed off in the sky like a bird. It was going to be a little harder to get her than he thought. Perhaps if he sent Nagi to talk with her on more comfortable terms than such. After all they had just busted in on her family. The lies he spread about what happened to her friend would surely sink into her mind, and play back like a repeating CD. There was no doubt they had her where they wanted her and she was just ripe for the picking. With a little time and a few smooth words she would be eating out of Schwarz's hand. He mentally cursed at Nagi to hurry up and began to think of what to do with the blacked out Lain. 

'And so my dears, this starts you down the road to corruption...' 


	3. The Unchained Demons

Eri watched her 'friends' with a smile on her face, trying to find out what in the hell could be so god damned funny in hurting someone else's feelings. But when they laughed, she laughed; she had to play their little games. Out of her other two friends she was the most social. Her new life with her grandmother had helped her cope with her anger displacement methods. When she was little, instead of screaming and throwing a tantrum like the other children, anything she happened to be glaring at would suddenly catch on fire. Having her move in with the kind hearted woman was probably the smartest thing her parents ever did. She taught her how to deal with anger like a normal child would, and she never yelled at her when she had an accident with her 'gift'. Even though being in a different crowd, she really didn't like it. It wasn't her style, they weren't really anyone's friends. They only wanted to impress each other and laugh at the faults of another. 

__

'Stupid, this is stupid. Find out whats going on with Yukino and Lain!'

"And so she started **crying**! I mean, how... Eri? Still with us?" Meli turned to Eri with a troubled expression on her face, and the other two followed suit.

Meli was always talking about what horrible deeds she had done and the reaction that was spurred on by her mockery. Hardley any of the other girls dared to interrupt her when she was relating her latest news. Eri could see that the blond hair girl was a little upset that she had to stop her story to check on her. Putting on her happy face she shook her head.

"Oh sorry Meli. I was just thinking that Grams will worry if I'm not home soon. I'll catch up with you guys Monday okay?" Eri cheerfully answered.

"You sure you can't stay? We were just going to head over to the 'Kitty in the house' flower shop to see Omi," Hina squealed. "He's so cute. Oh I'm sure he'll save the best roses when we go to the dance," she sighed.

Hikaru nudged her cousin, "What makes you so sure he's not going with someone else?"

Hina narrowed her eyes and began yelling. Meli smiled and shrugged as the two bickered.

"Well then Eri I'll just call you later, maybe and fill you in okay? Maybe we can head to the mall on the weekend! Bye," her green eyes twinkled.

"Yeah, maybe," Eri replied mutely. 'Yeah, maybe not!'

Turning back to their sickening conversation, they turned their backs on her also. Eri quickened her pace, past the gate that was the marker for the schools boundaries. She could feel the worry in Yuki, and Lain...

__

'What's wrong with her? Why can't I feel anything from her? Its so...so cold!'

Turning a worried look to the darkening sky, Eri sighed. Silently praying for time, she hurried to her Grandmother's house. Though her Grandmother was a caring and loving old woman, she wasn't much for tardiness. Eri had to get inside soon, for the negative feelings were enclosing around her like the falling night. She disliked the feel of coldness, especially lately.

__

'They are all sickening bitches, and they don't deserve your pity! Why do you continue to be friends with..'

Eyes blazing, Eri shook her head.

The dreams didn't help. They...they where wrong! Even if he had known everything, even what was in her head! Her friends, her real friends, Yuki and Lain, they would never betray her. They cold swirled around her, and she concentrated on the light, the glimmers of happiness...

__

'They abandoned you. Your parents abandoned you because your a freak, and you were going to kill them, they knew it, you're evil, you're dark, and nothing will change that. Especiallly you trying to fight it. You want to grab at everything, to call in the dark energy, because you're a murderer, you're evil! You're going to kill your real friends, and those simpering liars you call frineds that don't even know about your secret. Our dark little secret and you are_ going insane, you know that? Talking to yourself, the man in your dreams who offered you salvation, you _want_ to feel the death that is part of your every being-'_

Suddenly an explosion woke her out of her horrified circle of shadow and doubt. Jerking her head up, she saw the smoldering trash can nearby. A few cats darted down the alley away from the burning mess. 

"DAMN IT!" Eri shouted.

__

'They are my friends. They understand what it feels like to hurt, to be rejected. They're my real friends, Yuki and Lain are-in trouble, **_WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING HERE?!'_**

Gasping for breath, she sudenly felt Yuki's scream in the back of her mind. The coldness was replaced by a very real fear that this time she was really late. There was too much confusion in her head to pinpoint where Yukino was or what happened. But there wasn't anytime to stop and find her, the sun was just inches away from the horizon's end. She ran, trying to escape her problems. Escape the growing darkness that was approaching around her. Escaping the fact she couldn't figure out what was happening, and the smoking garbage cans. Tears ran down her face as she rounded the corner to her Grandmother's house. Dread began to drag her down, it was coming closer...not only that she was really late. 

__

'Just wait a little longer you guys, I don't know what's wrong with me, but if I don't tell my gram why I am going to be late, she may have a heart attack like last time, and I would truly die then.'

Racing up the porch steps, she yanked open the door, and saw her grandmother sitting at the table, sewing something. Snowy white hair curled and short reached her shoulders, and when she turned to Eri, her usually calm blue eyes were fillled with worry.

"It got out of control again, didn't it Eri?"

Sobbing, Eri nodded, and collapsed into tears on the floor. The coldness could not reach her when she was sad, thank goodness, and she could feel the nothingness where Lain should have been, could feel the silent accusion where Yukino still was. She had lost control again, and her friends might die because of it. Things around her slowly began to fade, and she began to feel an icy shadow on her back. In the distance she could hear her Grandmother talking to her as she continued with her patch work. But soon the words faded and the cheerful purring of her cat was gone.

Why couldn't she move? she should...Wait...she couldn't...

Darkness ...

__

'Eri, you cant hide from us. We are the only ones like you, and you know it. We know your secrets, inside and out, how could you think to escape what is part of you?' the aubern haired man jeered.

'I have had enough! Of these dreams, of you, of everything you people call part of myself, you basterd, get out of my head, and merrily dance yourself to hell,' Eri calmly stated, blue eyes blazing.

'The cold has you again doesnt it? You see, I know. You absorb peoples emotions girl, absorb them and use them to destroy the persons' very soul. You know that the circles of shadow and doubt aren't us. They are a part of you. And they are right, you know. You're quite evil, and insane,' The mans voice hit to many parts of her she had buried.

'Do you think you can scare me with little fairytale of boogy-men in my own head? Only children are afraid of things like that, and I very much doubt even a child could do this,' Eyes narrowing, the cold in her drew the very air around him, and didn't even notice the smile of ironic glee on his face as she let the power in her loose-

The world was bright with colors again. Jerking up, her eyes churning multiple shades of blue, and the cold buzzed in her. Strangers, they were going to try to kill the real her and-

the feel of a hand gripping her shoulder, twirling she let the powers loose on them.

and froze...

"Eri!" a quickly silenced cry of agony rushed her back to reality.

"Grams?" she blinked questionably at the scream.

Rich laughter came from behind her as she absorbed the shock of her hasty actions.

"No...no, no, no." she whispered as the tears trickled down her face. "This can't be happening,"

Her Grandmother was gone. A disfigured body lay on the floor, some fire flickering on the floor around it. The sickening smell of burning skin lifted into her nostrils causing her stomach to lurch and churn. The once happily purring cat was now no where to be found, most likely hiding in a corner away from her. She was gone, forever. Eri had always tried to be home on time so not to worry her. She wasn't well and too much stress could cause her a heart attack. But now she was just a pile of ash...and it was her fault. A melted metal ring, the only thing left of the woman that was reconziable, lay across the floor alone and now meaningless.

"YUKINO! LAIN!" Eri howled, not caring who or what heard her. She felt the memories and pain fill her. Of how, those fake frineds like Meli and Hina, had brought her to the brink of using her gift, and how the loving care of her friends and grandmother had pulled her back from the crumpling edge of death. She had hated some, very, much, and she had never...

But she had never hated her grandmother and yet she was the one who was the cost of her rashness.

The laughter suddenly registered in her mind and something clicked. She stood and faced the sickly looking brown haired boy. The cold was gone, and with it the despair. The rage however, was forged with all the pain she had endured.

"I warned you, I. Have. Had. Enough." she stood up from the floor and glared through her fogging eyes. "Leave, me alone!"

The flames engulfed the boy. To her shock, the fire dispersed around him. He smiled playfully as he stepped toward her still unharmed by the next few eplosions of fire.

"Tricky basterd," she spat.

"You should come with us, before the athorities come," he warned. 

"What are they gonna do? Send me to jail for kiling my grandmother with my ferousous glare, because some guy in my head has been bothering me. Really? And who is going to tell them I have 'magical' powers? You? Even if I do tell them the truth they will lock me up in an asylum, which is probably for the better, you stupid little prick. Now I am going to set your ass on fire before I leave, if you dont mind," She explained, in a shaking voice.

The boys eyes went blank, and suddenly she was above the floor. He watched as she tried to swim in the air struggling to be set down. 

"That's rude you know," she finally muttered quietly.

"Let her down," another voice softly spoke from behind her.

Without thinking, she called on her power, and blasted a wall of fire behind her. She hit the ground rather ungracefully. the boy rushed past her and went to check to see if his friend was alright. Using the distraction, she ran into the kitchen before the fire wall had dispersed. Grabbing the kitchen knife in one hand, and the broom in the other, she awaited for the attack. A wave of adrenaline rushed her and unknown memories became called forth. Eri paused in her fighting stance, that man in her nightmares...these were his memories...when he had severed the link between her mind and his, he must have accidentally left some trace of his life behind. The two men, rather man and a kid, were there to take her and use her as an evil pawn. 

"She's in here!" the boy's voice yelled over the roaring flames. "Just calm down Eri, we're here to..."

The kid's face suddenly had a name that was brought up, Nagi. This must have been some friends of that laughing fool that caused her to kill her Grandma. She snapped the broom in half as he entered the kitchen causiously. Hurling the brush end of the broom at him, she waited for him to catch it and smile tauntingly. The smile faded pretty damn quick when the broom exploded, and his hand caught on fire.

"SHIT!"Nagi shouted, glaring at his hand, and setting out the fire with a glance.

The second man entered, and she grinned bitterly at him.

"Either I am way to predictable for my own good, or you have this puke-faced freaks ability too,"Eri let the smile drop, and her concentration flow elsewhere.

"We are only trying to help, if you would let me explain." Brad? Brad went on smoothly.

Eri's stance changed to a thoughtful expression, before turning to them.

"Okay, lets see. YOU are going to stay that WeiB, whatever, whoever, is the reason this happened, and Lain and Yukino are in TERRIBLE danger for some reason because they are in there care. Okay asshole, let me give you pathetic retards some simple help. You need mental assistance, I suggest assylums, somewhere far, where no one will have to see your ugly faces again. THAT in itself, would help everyone. Now, some more advice, BRAD and NAGI, you must be the STUPIDest beings alive, becuase, you somehow gave me all this information, that all works against you. All right, the last bit of advice is for you to get all your nice bits of help, and to shove it up your...well, i think you get it. Also, on one last point, since your all _obviously _gay, would ya leave a girl alone?"Smiling, she set a fire circle around herself, and used it to sheild herself as she walked calmly out of the house, leaving the Schwarz members to scowl after her.

Yukino flew only a little way, because it was using up a lot of her energy. She landed in a parking lot nearby.

She landed and fell. The pain from...

'ERI!'

'Lain? That's it, too much crap has happened today. I'm getting Lain and nothing is going to stop me!' 

All her sadness had been transformed into an impossible containable fury that burned through her veins like the dryinh tears in her eyes. The man, Schuldege as she now knew him, had left her all the information she needed to find her friend. Eri marched up to the flowershop, smiling cheerfully as ever, holding the little bit of power left in her in a careful reserve. Cocking her head a bit to the side, noting the 'closed' sign on the door. Smile dropping, she held both of her arms behind her, still carrying the end of the broom in one hand, and knife in the other. Then she kicked the door open, she hard the glass shattered, and scattered around her, some cutting her arms, which she ignored as her bright smile reappeared, and she walked casuallyinto the shop, eyes on the tall mans face. Tall, long darkbrown hair, and green eyes wide in surprise. 

"Hello Yohji, I've come to pick up a friend, that you and your friends seem to have picked up for me. Short black hair, dark eyes, has a little brother, her names Lain," Her glued smile didn't falter.

Yohji watched as the brown hair girl walked over the broken glass and toward him. A mad hysteria danced in her eyes, and she spoke a name he never heard. He had only come back to check on something and he figured leaving the metal doors up wouldn't be such a big deal, most people weren't in the mood for flowers at this time at night. Not wanting to get on her issue, considering she weilded a knife and...a broken broom.

"Your gonna have to pay for the door, you know that right?" Yohji replied lazily, struggling not to press the silent alarm.

Stepping closer, Eri's eyes swirled with a look that made her look very insane.

"I know who you are Yohji, i know your friends, Omi, Ken and Aya, and I know what WeiB is. I want my friend back," she reapeted softly.

His eyes widened, she knew about WeiB? But how? Her uniform...she went to Omi's school, did Omi give it away? Even though he didn't take too much interrest in younger women, she wasn't that bad looking. The next words flew from his mouth before his brain had time to process what he was saying.

"How'd you like to go out sometime?" he answered slyly.

Eri smiled, and suddenly the knife in her hand was inches from his throat.

"How would you like to keep your head?"She asked bitterly.

He blinked at the knife, then looked at her with another smile.

"I dont know, how'd you like to go out with me sometime?" Yohji wanted to hit himself. 'Yohji you're going to get sliced up by a crazy high school under age chick! What are you doing?'

Eri blinked, and backed up from him, suprise on her face. Taking the knife from his throat 

she glared at him. 

"Aren't you taking me seriously?"She yelped.

He blinked. Walking to the door, he closed it.

"Of course. You really do have to pay the door," he replied. 'She seems to be actually letting up...'

Grounding her teeth, her eyes glowed green.

"I want my friend, and I am NOT paying for any DAMN DOOR!" Tiny fireballs appeared around her, and they flew at Yohji, who smiled again.

"Hey, so do you wanna go out or..not?"he asked hesitantly.

The fire disappeared."I WANT MY FRIEND BACK!" Eri fell to the floor and bawled.

Throwing the end of broom at him and tossing the knife across the floor, she folded her hands over her chest and glared at him.

"I can assure you my dear I haven't a clue what 'friend' you speak of. May I ask how you came across this...silly thing about WeiB and a plain group of florists having someone you know. Or perhaps we can talk this over dinner?" Yohji asked again, placing the stick on the counter.

"I...am a ..bit ...tired..if you dont mind...you ...overgrown..."Eri collapsed on the floor.

Yohji rushed to her side, him never liking to see a woman in trouble. Lifting her head up he saw that she was out cold. Pulling the Nokia phone from his pocket he dailed up Ken's number. Omi was probably busy looking up the other two people and Aya...was never the right one to call about this time at night. Ken picked up with his usual loud voice, there was a big commotion behind him though. 

"Hello?" Ken yelled again. "Omi turn that down a little, it's Yohji," 

"You're the one being loud. Why don't you turn down yourself?" the teenager mumbled, but complied. 

"Ah shut up," he commented back. "What's up Yohji? No date after all eh?"

"Actually we finished up earily if you must know," Ken's laughter stung his ears. "Shut your big mouth a second will you? You're so immature sometimes." Yohji hissed defensively. "I think I located one of those three people we were supposed to be looking for. She burst into the shop brandishing a knife and a broken broom and then she threw some fireballs at me and then passed out. Oh did I mention she broke the front door?" 

"Sounds like your last girlfriend if you ask me," Ken snickered.

"Hidaka you're going to be crying when I get finished with that motorcycle of yours," Yohji treatened. 

"You wouldn't! Aie, don't lie. I'll send Omi, he's not doing anything important anymore. Oh yeah and since you were irresponsible enough to leave the metal gate down you get to clean it up and fix it this weekend." 

"Serious? Cripes you," Yohji cursed as his friend laughed madly on the other side of the phone before haning up. "Well you should be happy, I'm spending a lot more cash on you than I do on a first date. You're going to owe me a dinner," he picked the girl up. 

__

'Where am I? What happened?' Lain opened her eyes. _'Uh no it's another dream isn't it? Why are you set on tormenting me, please leave me alone!' _

Her voice echoed off into the far corners of space that floated around, her voice sounding like a helpless child. A small lonely cry she had heard so many times leave her mouth as a young girl. 

Stars circled around her and the planets continued their rotations, not noticing her. She floated around, gravity seemed to have released its hold on her momentarily. A burst of black dust appeared and she knew what was arising next. The man she had met, with his flaming hair and his eyes so harsh it could cut ice, stepped out of the star dust and walked toward her, creating a horizon in which her feet thankfully rested on firmly. 

__

'Like I said, you're too cute.' he smiled his wicked traidmark grin. _'Besides I'm the only one you can trust, I'm the only one who knows. If Eri or Yukino knew about your past they'd never be your friends again,' _

'It wasn't my fault! You can't twist this around on me! It wasn't my fault!' she shrunk back, a room began to materialize around them. 

__

'You know it was my little lost girl. They would still be alive if not for you, fleeting joy. Like a simple moment of sweet blissful intoxication you swim past the lips and enter the system. Then when they fully except you, ya strike for the organs, dulling their senses, killing the nerves. Until there's nothing but a decaying body...' he moved closer to her until she was up against a wall. 

__

'No! I'm not like that! Nyao's death wasn't my fault! It couldn't be! He was like a father to me, I cared about him!' she covered her ears and tried to block him out. 

__

'Well ya love 'em and leave 'em right baby?' he leaned toward her, supporting his body by one arm which was just a few inches away from her head. _'Nyao was just another victim huh? Another blind shot in the dark for affection. You want someone in your life to love you. You tried looking for a parental love in Nyao, poor old man didn't know that his prized student was going to be his death,'_

In his eyes danced the images of all the peoples whose lives she touched and the death they faced. Like the beauty from a rose, so colorful and lush but fadding so fast into a dark dried pile of ash. Nyao had been her teacher, the one who helped her 'open her gates' and accepted her gifts. Her father never had time for his daughter and Nyao's guidance and discapline fell in line of what a father would have done in rasing her. He had taught her many things about life and about herself. Things she had pushed out of her mind since his death. It was so hard losing the only one who cared for her, she couldn't remember him because it hurt more than anything in her life. All the rejection, all the pain, nothing was like the heartache she was hit with when his coffin was laid in the center of the dojo. 

That's when her world began to crumble, she left her father, taking her half brother along, and moved to Tokyo. Trying to find a new life a life that she wouldn't have to burden on others, a life with out anyone but her self and Takume.

This man, was bringing back all those open wounds that never healed and rubbing salt on them to hear her scream. He wanted to hurt her, it was easily readable on his face. He wanted to see the fear in her eyes, to feed off of the tears she was struggling so hard to hold in. Like a madman he awaited to see her crumble into a miserable pile of an empty cold hearted girl.

__

'You want to see me hurt don't you?' she questioned looking up wildly at him. 

__

'No, I just want to show you that you've been living in an empty world. Just you and your brother, a simple comforting life, so it may be. I can offer you far more than you can imagine. I'm the only one who cares about you Lain. I'm trying to save you. From yourself and from WeiB. They'll feed off your weakness and try to manipulate you to use your touch of death on others. You'll be just a simple pawn,' he's expression changed and he came closer. _'I can help you Lain, you won't feel alone or dejected again.' _his hand ran through her hair sending her veritbrae a jolt of messages. Lowering his head forward he held her face in his palm. His cold lips brushed against her cheek in a teasing kiss, just a whisp away from her mouth._'I can give you affection...I'm not scared. I can take your bittersweet posion. Anyone else will just become like the rest,'_ he leaned toward her mouth.

__

'Stay away!' she ducked under him and ran across the room. _'You have nothing in you but...lies!' _ her heart pounded loudly. _'Leave me alone!' _

'I've tried to help you. But if you're not going to be helped there's no point...' he turned around, his eyes flaring with rage she had seen many times. 

The man's face began to change and his body as well, his clothes turned into just a simple black leather trench coat, accompanied by long thick boots. His hair was shorter and a more dulled redish color, his skin was pale and a katana rested at his side. 

__

'I've had enough with these games Lain. Now you see my true self! Shi-Ne!' he charged toward her. 

Light danced along the sharp weapon measuring the sharpness and the length of the blade. He tackled her, pinning her to the wall.

__

'Either you come with me or die!' 

'Please just leave me alone! I have a brother to take care of! Haven't I hurt enough? Please...'

She felt it enter into her side and watched in horror as the hilt touched her bleeding stomach. Her whitening hand grabbed the handle, she could make out the dispersing warmth from the angry hands that held tightly to the weapon. Time seemed to inch by and it felt like she was trying to move against gravity. Her rising head was a slow, lathargic movement that sent a flash of shivers down her spine, or what was left of it. Heavy eyelids fought to keep open as the dark brown pupils focused hazeily on the man. Empty hearted frosty lalic eyes watched her as she fell forward on her knees and rested her head on his fists. 

Aya was having a difficult time holding the girl down. The morning sun crept into a near by window, pushing the curtains away with it's accompanying breeze. The vibrant citrus splashes of sunburst were now receeding back like the high tide, under the horzion. Ken was in the process of waking up. Draging his feet out of his room, some sheets still wrapped up around his legs and his hair uneven. The boy had slept in the same room as this walking half dead man, most likely he was still asleep. How both could sleep through the shouts and moans of the girl was beyond him. Her body had regained color but her lips were flushing a near blue color. Her body spasmed and she jolted around violently, her mouth struggling to shriek yet nothing came out. She needed air but he was unable to do much due to her moving. 

"Mornin' Aya..." Ken ran his hand through his deshelved hair and yawned. "Sleep well?"

"Ken can't you see that something is amiss?" Aya felt her fingers grabbing him, like she was falling or drowning. "Damn it! She's going to die if she doesn't get air soon! Don't just stand there you bastard!" Aya shot a glare at him that could break glass. 

Ken's eyes were closed and he missed the icy look. "Shies, Aya I didn't think you liked coffee that much," his body swayed. "I'll get you some in a second,"

He could kill Ken just about now. He returned his eyes back to the teenager, he watched her helplessly not knowing what to do. If he splashed water on her it could shock her system but she might go into a coma from the outside force that she wasn't aware of. 

Finally her eyes opened and she wheezed like she had been held underwater. Aya moved back a little giving her some space to get comfortable and recouperate. It didn't seem that she could actually see or rather depict objects around her yet. She rolled her head back along the arm of the couch and gasped loudly. Hearing her every breath he felt as if it was his first time breathing since her body convulsions began. Ken was standing, tilting to the side every now and then, with his mug in his hand still trying to look at Aya without his eyelids closing. It was a few minutes later that she finally sat back up and appeared somewhat healthy. Her cheeks were pink and her lips were turning a pale rose shade. 

"It...was...only...a dream," she felt her stomach. "And he's not near, oh my head," her brown eyes fell on him. 

A loud scream rang out of her mouth and she tried to back away from him. Ken's eyelids shot open and the cup in his hand fell on the floor expolding white shards and coffee everywhere. Aya reached forward thinking that she was still seeing things. She recoiled farther into the couch from his touch. Falling off the edge she stood up and motioned for him to stay where he was. 

"Don't come any closer!" she ordered. 

"It's alright," Aya sat back down slowly as if she aimed a gun at him. 

"Lain it's okay we're Omi's friends," Ken surprised the girl as she found herself standing a few feet in front of him. 

"What's going on?" a sharp sting set into her mind and she slummped to her knees. "...Schuldich...? N-nagi?" looking up at Ken, memories from another flooded her mind. "I don't understand...what's happening? Why do I know those men? And the insane man, Farelleo...and the tall man in the suit with glasses...Brad...I've never seen them before, why are these visions coming to me!" 

"Schwarz," Ken and Aya mumbled coldly. 

Lain stood up holding her head. "Schwarz!" 

Missions and an apartment with hardly any furniture played like a video in her mind. A hand grabbed her and turned her toward him. His past came to her in an instant. A girl, one much like herself, was injured, no was caught in an explosion, she was alive...but comatose. He was a bitter boy, on the edge of adolessence forced to grow into a cold hearted man. 

"What do you know about Schwarz? Did they hurt you?" his gruff voice made his questions sound like commands. 

"WeiB." Lain looked into his eyes. "You're both..." she paused, she didn't want to say that they both were murders.

That they both killed and shed blood alike. Though one tried to uphold some type of law like order, it came down all the same. The man, Schuldich, had a connection some sort of mind reading ability. When he pulled out of her dream it must have been fast, because the link between her mind and his became blurred and she had his memories. This trade most likely went both ways. This man, Ran who had now taken on the alias 'Aya', wasn't the one she was to fear. It was only Schuledich's mind games and tricks, the images in her nightmares, the constant pain and the shadows. 

"Both of you are after us?" she finished off, asking a question she wanted an answer to instead of her equal comparision of the two groups. "Yukino...I can't feel her...and Eri...she's close by, please what's going on." the memories only effected her at that moment, there was nothing of the two others. 

"We're not after you," Aya said releasing hold on her. "Don't you remember what happened to you?"

"No, all I have are these images from Schuldich. I can't...remember what happened." 

"You were looking for your brother, he had gone out to the park and you used up your energy zipping and poping up across town looking for him. When you finally found him you were so weak you passed out. I brought you hear and well ya slept like sleeping beauty," Ken explained. 

"Takume? Where is he?" Lain grabbed Ken's shirt and shook him. "Where is my brother?" 

"He's sleeping...well he was, I'm not too sure anyone could sleep through that scream," 

"So I suppose that German bastard's link snapped. You must know everything then," the red hair man stood up. "Then the others might have had a similiar..." his voice rambled on.

__

'I'm so confused. I got away from Osaka because I was hurting people and Tokyo isn't much of a difference. All I wanted was a simple life...but it's something far too impossible for it to happen for me. I should have known,' Lain let her grip loosen on his shirt, but her hands still lay on his chest._ 'Maybe that man was right...maybe he is the only one who can help. Not every thing he said were lies...Nyao...I suppose I did kill him...and my friends_.' Her hands rested at her side but she still remained facing him.

"You alright?" Ken's hands held her arms.

"Where's Omi," she sighed._'I can't think about this now. Takume is safe, I guess I am. Enjoy it while it lasts I suppose.'_

"He's at Yohji's," 

"Where's Yohji?" 

"He should be heading to the shop," 

"Why is he there?" 

"Ask a lot of questions don't you?" Ken smiled warmly. 

"I'll shut up if you'd like," Lain looked at him dully. _'Not like I feel obligated to talk anyways. Not like you'd understand,'_

"A friend of yours broke the glass door and he's got to go clean it up," Ken found his shirt in danger of being ripped again. 

"Yukino?" she shook him. "Did you find Yukino?" 

"Ahh! No it was uh," Ken tried to recall her name.

"Eri," Aya finally spoke. "Omi is with her right now," 

"What's her condition?" Lain turned to Aya. 

"Same as yours, she had a power overload," the man tossed her a long sweater. "You can see her after you get something to eat," 

"Thank you," Lain took the brown sweater and put it on. 

The sweater was too large for her but it was soft and warm. She had found Eri, but no Yukino...she couldn't feel Yukino. She was distant, the connection was so faint that it gave her a headache trying to figure out if it was in fact her or something else. It wasn't the same feeling either, it was growing dark. Sitting at the table she ate some of the meal that the two men had prepaired for her. Takume walked out of the room and quietly sat on his sister's lap, hugging her tightly as he drifted into sleep again. Lain smiled and brushed his hair from his eyes. 

"I appreciate you helping Takume and I out." Lain thanked them after they finished eating. 

Ken had taken Takume back to his room and was now in the bathroom changing. Aya turned to the girl as she handed him the plates from the table. 

"Takume is the only reason I'm here. After Nyao..." Lain tried to go on.

"It's okay," Aya shrugged. "You wanted to see your friend?" 

"Hmm? Oh...yeah," she was surprised at how he dismissed her explaination. 

Waking up, Eri was blissfully innocent for a miraculous few seconds when she could only register the sound of birds outside the window. Snapping out of her trance she realized that she wasn't at her grams house, Yukino's, or Lain's. Footsteps approached and she decided to pretend to be asleep.

"She's still out cold eh? Damn, I could have dragged her with me to work off her damage," a deep male voice muttered. 

"You must have been pretty freaked out eh?" a younger man replied. 

"If you had a girl come at you with a knife and a broom in the middle of the night and then throw fire at you, you'd be freaked too," 

"Hmm, I thought you'd be used to that stuff. She sounds like your last girlfriend,"

"Cripes you," 

"Excuuuse me," 

For some reason the second voice sounded more familiar than the other. It kind of sounded like a boy from school she knew. Rather a boy that Meli and her friends knew, mainly Hina. They conversed a little longer and the rich smell of freshly ground coffee flooded the air. It warmed her arms and caused her to crave a cup of java herself. 

"Well, I'm off," 

"What's the matter four cups aren't enough?" 

"You shouldn't even be drinking coffee, this stuff isn't for little kids," 

"Aie you're so mean," 

"Ah you're such a baby," the door shut and there was a moment of peace.

"I'm not a baby, I can do far more than you can do any day. Let's see who helps you next time you have problems setting up the VCR," he scowled. 

Eri waitied a few more moments and then rose from her sheets. Where was she? Who were those men...and...why is...Omi? Omi! 

"Wahh!" Eri yelped.

Her yell of distress was echoed by the dusty hair boy, who must have not expected anything to break the sernety of the morning. His body jerked around akwardly and the book he had in his hand was thrown over the couch and hit the door. Eri winced as he then fell backwards on the floor. 

"Aie," he grunted and sat up. "Good morning to you too,"

"Where am I? Why are you here?" she blurted out quickly, looking down she notice she wore the same uniform that she did the day before. "Rather...when am I?" she felt like Alice in wonderland, minus the stupid rabbit. 

"You're at Yohji's apartment. I live next door, but I came over because you had passed out. Today is Saturday," he explained dusting himself off and standing. "Do you remember anything at all about yesterday? You seem lost," 

Eri watched as he walked to the front door and retrived his book. She let her mind mull over the word 'yesterday' trying to get it to function and bring up events that happened. 'The coldness...the fire...Grandma...' she did know what happened. She lost control, she let it take over her. After the accident happened the fact that her Grandmother was gone, hadn't fully sunk it. There wasn't time or space for it to, there was too much anger and hate in her that she couldn't see straight. Now that she was clear headed the truth hit her like a car. 

"...Schwarz came after me," she replied with a muffled voice. 

Omi's attention was caught at the single first word. "Schwarz? Y-you know about...?"

she nodded. "And I know about your friends too," 

he sat down in a chair and watched her. "What happened?"

"Listen it's got nothing to do with you. Just tell me where Lain is so I can go home," 

"I'm afraid there's no home to go to," he answered. "You lived a few blocks from school right?" 

"Yeah?" she looked at him as if to say 'What's that to you'. 

"The whole building was burned in a huge explosion...of fire," Omi watched as her face dropped. "...that started from the fourth floor," 

"But it's not possible. I couldn't have...not that much. I didn't use that much," she tried to explain to herself. "It wasn't me,"

"I'm not saying it was." 

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Only about ten were injured. I overheard you once talking with your friends, you said you had a Grandmother." 

"She's dead," Eri looked away. "I know, I...I killed her," 

Omi almost swallowed his tongue. "You what?" 

"It wasn't on purpose. Sometimes I can't control it and other times this horrible feeling comes over me. It forces me to bring pain on others. This time, it wasn't just that. Schwarz was in my head and the stupid bastard tricked me into setting her blazing. It wasn't meant to happen, I loved my Grandma...It wasn't supposed..." there wasn't a point in stopping the tears now. 

"It's okay, I'm sure she knew it wasn't your fault." he comforted. 

"Why do you comfort me? I could combust you too, right now!" she sobbed. 

"Would you?" Omi hestitated in fear of being suddenly a human torch. 

Eri knew that she didn't even have enough strength to light a candle on fire. But he wouldn't know that. She just wanted to get her friend and then figure things out from there. Lain would know what to do, she had been on her own, she had delt with losing loved ones. Then after she had recovered a little she'd hunt those good for nothing bastards down and kill them. A knock came at the door, coming to Omi's resuce. 

"Hello?" he pulled the door open and blinked. 

"Hi Omi," the girl grinned. "Is she better?" 

"Lain, you're awake!" he started forward to hug her but decided not to. "Ah, well um she's up now. It's great to see you doing okay," 

"Uh, thanks," Lain eyed him questionably. "Eri?" 

The crying girl on the couch lifted her head from the floor. "Lain!" she confided in her friend's arms and wailed. "Grams..." she started.

"It's okay, I know." she patted her back. "I've been listening for the past five minutes. I wanted to come in but something told me to wait," 

"Lain she's gone and it's all my fault," 

"...I know how that feels," 

"And something is wrong wih Yukino? Why wouldn't she come? You think those people hurt her?"

"Eri, I don't know. Yuki is a strong girl, she can manage. I'm worried about her too though, I don't know what Schwarz's next move is. We can't focus on too many things right now, we have to find Yuki,"

Omi watched for a good twenty mintues as Lain brought Eri under control and then sent her off to the bathroom to clean herself up. He was happy to see Lain up and walking again, not to mention she had aquired some color in her face. He could almost remember passing by her as he left. She looked so dead, and her expression wasn't of sleep or peace it was of sadness. The sweater's sleaves were rolled up a little so that her hands could be seen. Ken or Aya must have just pulled it from the wash and just threw it to her. 

"I'm happy to see you walking around again," 

"Hmm," she nodded simply. "Thanks for helping Eri out. Not just last night but just a few minutes ago," 

"What?" 

"Eri absorbs negative energy around herself. That's why often things around her catch on fire. When she's healing the negative energy only weakens her," Lain explained. "Oh and don't worry about her saying she's going to light you on fire, she doesn't have the power to. At least not now," 

"That's not too comforting." 

Lain shrugged. "It's the truth," 

He sighed she must have been talking to Aya that morning. Aya always was saying something like that. 'It's the truth' or 'So it is' and 'There's nothing more to say'. She folded her arms and waited for her friend to appear from the bathroom. Now that both of them found each other what was to happen next? All they needed to finish their mission was to get the last one, but the ones who were closest to her couldn't even locate her. Both obviously were confused, tired, and, in the case of Eri, depressed. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Looking at his watch he noticed that Yohji would be expecting him any minute. Ken was probably taking care of Takume and Aya...well he was off doing his 'personal' buisness, whatever that was no one but Yohji probably knew. He had no other choice than to bring the two girls with him. If he didn't they might get into more trouble with Schwarz, and this way he'd have a little more help cleaning up. 


End file.
